What helps one in the long run — education or work experience?
Another academic year has started. Students are back to their respective colleges. Some of them, who had taken up vacation or part time jobs, may be facing the age-old dilemma — if education is supposed to guarantee job security and I have already got hands-on experience, do I still need to study further? What will secure me a job in future — education or work experience?
We posed this question to some city youngsters and they seemed to be quite sorted about their approach towards education and job.
Here’s what they had to say:
According to me, it should be education with work experience. Quality education provides you with knowledge which in turn generates a powerhouse of ideas. But practical experience makes a difference too. It gives you a better chance to understand the job, work environment and also a chance to show what sets you apart from others. Education with work experience boosts self confidence and brings about job satisfaction which is one of the prime factors of mental health. The two are not mutually exclusive, rather they go hand-in-hand in charting out a person’s career growth.
-Steffy Shaji, student
Education is the pure aspect of learning anything in the world. Basically if you want to earn, you should learn. Learning is not only adopted for earning but also for developing personality and other traits. It totally depends on the individual attitude and dedication towards learning as to how much s/he will grasp and apply the knowledge in his/her work. So not only education is sufficient to get a job but skill development is also an important aspect for advancing and getting accepted in the industry. So in my view, a degree from a reputed college is not sufficient, it’s the necessary skills that will take you to the next level.
-Pratik Dahale, budding filmmaker
It depends on the field as per my understanding but generally it’s the work experience and not education that counts. For example, when we go for a job, recruiters ask where you worked rather than where you studied. Even when you see the curriculum vitae (CV) format, the work experience category comes before the education category, which means that’s the priority while recruiting people.
-Adelphia Walsh, freelancer creative producer
Work experience is something many recruiters look out for in candidates rather than other aspects. A student is shortlisted when his or her CV has a considerable work experience. With work experience, young professionals also gain real life skills. Those who don’t have the right work experience would be turned down and those who possess that experience would be called for a job interview. Of course, education is necessary — when an individual wants to get enrolled for university placements, then s/he needs to obtain education. So education as well as experience, is mandatory.
-Sayan Debnath, freelancer photographer
Being at the beginning of my career, it is very important for me to be equipped with real world experience and not just be armed with bookish knowledge. To survive in your respective field in the 21st century advanced digital world, theory is an important factor but only to an extent. To get the necessary hike in pay and position, practical knowledge is very important. People, who are already in the Industry with 10-15 years of experience won’t just let you in so easily. No one wants competition and therefore on-field experience will definitely give you a boost, at least more than those desk hours.
-Gunjan Pare, advertising professional
If the aim is just to secure a job, then education is a must. Even those who have done basic graduation can get jobs in BPOs. But if one aims to rise the corporate ladder, then work experience has a very vital role to play. Even when joining a new company, if you have work experience, it becomes a plus point for you and your chances of getting hired go up. So it depends on what kind of job level a person is seeking, whether only education will suffice or work experience will be required.
-Somendra Ojha, sound engineer
It is truly very difficult to say which will land you a better job. In our country, I think educational qualification is the first thing that is checked at a job interview even if you have good work experience. The fact that you hold a degree or a masters from a reputed college is enough to make a cut in the interview when compared to a person who is experienced. But certain institutions do believe in the potential and performance of the employee rather than his/her education. And I think those may be the best places to work and grow in your career.
-Akhil Nair, mass media graduate
Work experience is essential as it gives you practical knowledge rather than theoretical one. It also introduces you to problems that you might face while working. So in a way, it teaches numerous lessons. Most importantly, an illiterate or a semi-literate person can also develop skills and qualities by learning on the job.
-Manasi Purohit, student
